Conserving water at home

By Dana George­Berberich

For Californians water is within reach. Turn a faucet and clean water appears, flush a toilet and water swirls away waste, turn on the underground sprinklers and a greener yard is practically guaranteed. Nearly 1 billion people worldwide have no access to clean water, a statistic that seems too big to absorb. Yet, a number of communities in California came perilously close to experiencing life without water during the most recent drought. Because clean water is not a limitless resource, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Water Conservation Act in 2009, requiring that urban water demand be reduced by 20 percent by the year 2020.

The good news is that personal conservation is already underway. “The region has absolutely embraced water conservation. Water use is less today than it was in 1986, despite a 24 percent population increase. That really represents a commitment to water conservation,” said Nicole Sandkulla, CEO of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA).

Sandkulla believes that access to information regarding easy ways to conserve water has

encouraged consumers to learn more and to use less. She says that water conservation involves doing things that “don’t really change your life,” like replacing an existing toilet with a high-efficiency model. “When high efficiency toilets first came out they were very expensive. You could spend $400 on a model. As the market has transformed, the price has come down and you can now buy a high efficiency toilet for less than $100.”

In 1999, Laura Allen and Cleo Woelfe-Erskine received their first water bill in a new rental home. Allen says with a laugh that the experience was enough to prompt them to find a way to conserve water. With backgrounds in environmental science, the two set out to find a way to reuse household water rather than allow it to flow into the sewer system. What they came up with was a household version of grey water. Grey water refers to household waste water that bypasses the sewage system and is piped outside to the landscape.

Allen says that it is actually a simple system that any do-it-yourselfer can install. The simple, most affordable version does not require a permit in California, a factor that Allen considers a plus. “Water comes from the washing machine and usually flows into the sewer pipe. In a grey water system you connect it to a valve that sends it in another direction,” Allen said.

The “direction” Allen refers to is into the yard and directly to any landscape features that need water. Made of PVC pipe and polyethylene tubing, Allen says that it is a little larger than a regular irrigation system in order to prevent particulates from clogging the pipes. Buried at the subsurface of a yard, it is nearly undetectable.

A study of 83 grey water systems showed an average reduction in water use of 26 percent. Allen said that the most basic system will not entirely eliminate the need for water to the exterior landscaping, but can reduce demand.

Allen’s group holds workshops around the Bay Area, teaching everything from design to hands-on installation. They also provide a list of outside help for anyone who may want to install a system but are not sure they can do it on their own. More information on their workshops can be found on their website, at: http://greywateraction.org/node/118.

Gabriel Hernandez, office manager for Better than Real Artificial Grass suggests another option for water conservation — artificial grass. “When this business started seven years ago people were not familiar with artificial turf,” Hernandez said. “Every year it becomes more common and more people know about it.”

According to Hernandez, artificial grass has several benefits. It does not need to be watered, is pet and child-resistant, and due to the excavation method used during installation, artificial grass has a built-in drainage system. At approximately $12/square foot for material and labor, artificial grass will last from 15 to 20 years.

Nicole Sandkulla offered more easy ideas for anyone looking to reduce their water usage and monthly bill.

Take advantage of rebate programs for high efficiency washing machines and toilets. Her organization, through a partnership with PG&E and other participating agencies, are offering combined water and energy rebates of up to $200 per washing machine when a consumer purchases a qualifying efficient model. Those who replace a toilet that uses 3.5 gallons per flush or more with an EPA WaterSense labeled model can receive a rebate of up to $100.

Take a look at the irrigation system and water-efficient landscaping rebates available in your area. For a complete list, go to: https://www.bayfriendlycoalition.org/LYL-rebates.shtml. Allen says that the advantage of the new “smart” irrigation controllers is that they have online technology that can determine the weather and automatically turn themselves off if there is precipitation in the area.

Switch to shower fixtures that use less water. Many local water agencies are giving out free high-efficiency shower heads to their customers.

If you have a pool, make sure to keep it covered when not in use in order to prevent evaporation.

Harvest rainwater. Not only can a homeowner use the water in his own yard, but harvested rainwater has the added benefit of preventing storm water pollution — caused when rainwater runs from the yard, through the dirty streets, and into the sewer system.

It will ultimately be the small changes that make a big impact in overall water usage. Fortunately for Bay Area residents, resources for making those changes are plentiful.